This is Torah Talk for the week of July 29th, 2018 Deut 7:15  The LORD will ward off from you all sickness; He will not bring upon you any of the dreadful diseases of Egypt [מדוי מצרים], about which you know, but will inflict them upon all your enemies. What are the “diseases of Egypt,” […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of July 22nd, 2018 Deut 5:23/26  For what mortal ever heard the voice of the living God [קול אלהים חיים] speak out of the fire, as we did, and lived? What does it mean to call God “living”? This week’s handout:  45 Va-etchanan 5778 Read Tzvi Sinensky’s article […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of July 15th, 2018 Deut 3:1  We made our way up the road toward Bashan [ונפן ונעל דרך הבשן] … What does it mean to go UP the road?  Rashi has the answer … or at least AN answer. This week’s handout:  44 Devarim 5778 Donate: https://www.paypal.me/mcarasik Learn Biblical […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of July 8th, 2018 Num. 28:7  The libation with it shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb, to be poured in the sacred precinct as an offering of fermented drink [שכר] to the LORD. 8The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, preparing the same meal offering […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of July 1st, 2018 Num. 28:7  The libation with it shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb, to be poured in the sacred precinct as an offering of fermented drink [שכר] to the LORD. 8The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, preparing the same meal offering […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of June 24th, 2018 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass.  A Tanna taught on the authority of R. Simeon b. Eleazar: אהבה מבטלת שורה של גדולה.  Love disregards the rule of dignified conduct.  [This is deduced] from Abraham, for it is written, “And Abraham rose […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of June 17th, 2018 Num. 21:27-30 is a poem in praise of an Amorite king, Sihon — whom Israel has just conquered!  What is this poem doing in the Bible? This week’s handout: 39 Hukkat 5778 Click here to read Liz Bloch-Smith’s article “When Did ‘Fire Go Forth from Heshbon’?” […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of June 10th, 2018 Num. 17:25   The LORD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back before the Pact, to be kept as a lesson to rebels, so that their mutterings against Me may cease, lest they die.” 26 This Moses did; just as the LORD had commanded him, so he […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of June 3rd, 2018 Numbers 14 – The Israelites are told they will die in the desert and only their children will enter the land. Numbers 16 – The Korah Rebellion And in between them … a bunch of miscellaneous laws.  What are they doing there?  And why […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of May 27th, 2018 Num. 8:2 Moses is told to instruct Aaron, “When you mount the lamps, let the seven lamps give light at the front of the lampstand.” But what does אל-מול פני המנורה really mean?  And where is the one surprising place it’s used outside of priestly literature? […]